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Childhood obesity, that was once shocking and disturbing, has now become a fact of life. As adult obesity increases, childhood obesity is rapidly increasing. With poor eating habits and fatty diet and some hereditary influence, some kids are doomed to battle childhood obesity late into their twenties.

Childhood obesity has become a wide spread phenomenon and the risks involved in childhood obesity are becoming clearer with time.

The numbers present a sad reality. One in five children is considered overweight, and this tendency only increases with time. Childhood obesity is increasing in different ethnic
groups, in both genders and all across the world. Although North America and Western Europe are leading the charts in regards to childhood obesity, other regions of the world are not too far behind.

Some experts claim that if something is not done to stop childhood obesity immediately, we will witness a whole generation becoming twice as heavy as its parents and grandparents were. With this gain of weight, other health risks are becoming more and more evident and have a huge effect on larger groups.

It is clear that we have an epidemic of obesity in our country, and that, as we get used to seeing more overweight people at work, in school and on the streets, we are accepting this condition as reality, rather than working to change the situation.

For this increase in childhood obesity, we can blame our way of life. The car has replaced a lot of walking, which was very important for our hearts and muscle mass. Most of us spend most
of our free time in front of the television or the computer, and most of the time we are in front of these appliances we also indulge in eating fatty food such as pizza and ice cream. Junk food has become an acceptable meal; what was once considered a last option for a child's meal has become the default in choosing our kids' meals.

Too little exercise and too much of the wrong kind of food are associated with Type II diabetes, all sorts of heart disease and blood pressure problems, joint problems related to weight bearing, self esteem and confidence issues, high cholesterol, mental problems such as
depression and sleep disruption, unstable mental stamina, pulmonary problems. The research in this field points to one clear fact - if you are obese as a child, you stand a far higher chance of becoming an obese adult. So childhood obesity is not just a childhood problematic phase that goes away after some time; childhood obesity can lead to a very problematic adulthood.

What can be done to prevent childhood obesity and how can we stop this dangerous tendency?
First thing we could do right away is to stop using our cars so much and to walk more. Any
kind of physical exercise is good for young children. We are not talking about gym and pushups - even an enjoyable basketball
game, 45 minutes three times a week can do wonders, and the great thing about kids is that they enjoy playing - they sometimes just need a little encouragement to get them going.

This alone can start you off in your battle against childhood obesity. Exercise and healthy eating are vital for a young body to develop well and to enjoy longevity and a healthy life. Good luck fighting - and beating - childhood obesity.


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